


Cut the Red String

by LitsyKalyptica



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Bittersweet, M/M, Second Chances, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 21:22:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13198812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LitsyKalyptica/pseuds/LitsyKalyptica
Summary: “Is how your life is now worth the life it could be?”





	Cut the Red String

We hadn’t been expecting any visitors.

“My name is… Well, you don’t really need to know who I am. What’s important is what I’m about to offer you.”

I looked at my  fiancé, then back to the stranger. “What are you trying to give me?”

The man pulled a small red box from the inside of his coat. He opened it to reveal a rather plain looking digital watch. I stared at it a moment. It couldn’t cost more than five dollars at WalMart. But the man had a striking look in his eyes, something that bore into me but left me unable to look away. Craig was sitting next to me, and his eyes went to the floor. 

“What is this?” I asked cautiously. “Don’t tell me this is just an ordinary watch. I could get this anywhere--”

The man laughed. Goosebumps raised on my back. “No, no, I don’t think you could. Though I’m sure you want to. But I won’t be selling it to you today. My motives here are benevolent, to say the least.”

“So why are you here?”

“This watch?” He took it out of the case, maneuvering it absently in his palm. “It will give you the opportunity to go back in time and change one, but only one, even from your past.”

My hand flew to Craig’s knee as my first thought flew to Alex. “Why- Why would you think I’d need something like that?”

The man shrugged, a small smile on his lips. “I don’t know for sure. Everyone I’ve met before has jumped on the opportunity, so I just imagine humans are always looking to change something about their lives. Hindsight is 20/20, after all. It’s easy to locate one event that may radically alter the course of one’s life.”

I bit my lip. That sounded about right. I looked at Craig, who was rubbing the back of his neck. He looked at me and gave me a weak smile, clearly understanding what I had immediately imagined. He took my hand and squeezed it. Where did these tears come from? “This is your chance, bro.” His voice cracked. “You can go back and keep Alex from getting in that crash.”

I could. And lord knows I’d wished for it before.

The man sitting across from us was incredibly patient as I sat in silence a long moment. I tried to come up with something else I could change to make our life better somehow.

“What if I went and changed things further back instead? What if I made it so that we got together in college? We could’ve been together all these years--”

“And the kids?”

I was struck silent.

Craig kissed my cheek for what felt like the last time. “You know Alex didn’t deserve to die that night. You know Amanda needs her other father.”

Amanda had taken to calling Craig her stepdad two months after we started dating.

Our visitor broke in. “You don’t have to take this opportunity. I could move on to someone else.”

I thought for a moment. I had to weigh all the options.

“Is how your life is now worth the life it could be?”

Would I live down the guilt of having the chance to save the life of my first real love, and turning it down?

“No.”

The man smiled and fastened the watch around my wrist. “Just turn the watch face backwards to go back, and forward to return to the present.”

“A different present.”

“Exactly.”

I stared down at the watch for what felt like hours. Nothing came to my mind except the need to say goodbye. “Could we have a few minutes?” I asked the man, who nodded and stepped out onto the porch. I turned to Craig. “You know this… has nothing to do with you, right? That I’m not doing this so that we won’t be--”

“No, I know.” He took my hand. “I know. But you’re doing what you believe is best for your daughter. I couldn’t ask you to choose anything else.” He kissed me, on the lips this time, soft and bittersweet. An ending. “We’re gonna be alright.”

I nodded, dropping my head so the tears didn’t waste time sliding down my cheeks. I didn’t see Craig crying too, but I could hear it in his voice.

“The girls will be home soon. I should go wait out for them.”

I nodded stiffly, fingering the watch softly, careful not to turn just yet. His arms wrapped around me and I didn’t want him to let go. But they did. I had to go. I waited until his footsteps disappeared onto the porch. I could hear a single sob. Before I had another chance to second guess my decision, I rewound the clock.

* * *

“Alex!”

“Hey, I’m on my way home. I think I’m gonna stop at the store first. We need milk. Do you need anything?”

“No, I don’t need anything. And no, we don’t need milk. Amanda’s been waiting all afternoon for you to come home. She wants to show you something.”

“Huh? Alright, I guess I’ll be home in ten.”

“I love you.” The words felt strange but oddly familiar in my mouth.

He laughed softly, the sound crackling over the old phone. “Love you too.”

I hung up.

There were ten minutes of silence in the house. Amanda was already asleep. In ten minutes I would know whether this would have been worth leaving Craig over. If Alex got home, he would still be there when I got back to the present. I wouldn’t have moved out of our old house. I wouldn’t have come across Craig again. My best friend from all those years ago. My lover in our reunion, in a more mature life. Would I have ever gotten in contact with him again? Or would he be lost to me forever?

Alex pulled in the driveway.

I turned the watch forward.

I was going home to a happy, intact family and the idyllic little life we always could’ve had. Why did it hurt?


End file.
